


Not what you expected

by Hannah_Shark



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, Slow burn for this one, Strong Language, There will be sexual themes later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:34:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25930669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannah_Shark/pseuds/Hannah_Shark
Summary: What if instead of travelling to Alola, Hana decided, screw Grimsley, and went to Galar instead?(Still working on a title, please bear with me.)Again, this takes place after the main story events and Hana is not the protagonist of SwSh, but of Gold/Silver. Leon is coming to terms with the fact that the media are becoming less interested in him since losing his title. Out of the blue an esteemed Professor from Kalos emails him to let him know that wandering former Champion of the Johto League, Hanako Mizutani, is heading for Galar and asks Leon to keep an eye out for her and make her feel welcome.Perhaps this Professor Sycamore hasn't gotten word that Leon isn't the Champion anymore but no matter, Gloria is far too busy and maybe a little too young to be greeting such a celebrity. Besides, he has time for these sorts of things now and Leon has always wanted to meet the Champions of other regions. Her cruise ship will be arriving in a few weeks, what could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	Not what you expected

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Crashing Waves](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23089528) by [Hannah_Shark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannah_Shark/pseuds/Hannah_Shark). 



The edges of her vision were blurry as Hana opened her eyes, blinking slowly and trying to pull her arm up to shield her face. She began to ask where she was, unsure who she directing the question to but only heard strange beeping from some machine nearby. Her throat wouldn't create any sounds and Hana turned her head to try to look around.  
  
A sharp pain pierced through her skull as she moved and Hana let out a whimper, or tried to as her vision darkened again.  
  
She was cold as she opened her eyes, now curled in on herself and wondering aloud where she was now. Hana heard the sound of the wind whipping the tree she had sheltered within, the rain beating against the hollow trunk as something approached her and Lifesaver.  
  
Yes, that's right, Lifesaver found me, Hana told herself as she suddenly remembered her mistake. But hadn't she put him away in a box? How did he get here?  
  
"Come to laugh at me?" Hana heard her own voice echoing strangely yet she had not moved her mouth.  
  
Oh right, she was lost wasn't she? A young man approached her, no, two young men as Lifesaver growled and snarled in warning, his twin tails slapping the ground menacingly. One was smaller and stood back.  
  
"Shit, you're soaked through." The young man cursed, approaching slowly with his hands out. "Hey, we need to get you out of here."  
  
He was tall and imposing, probably some sort of hunter as the shadowy figure loomed over her.  
  
"Why bother?" Her voice chuckled at him, almost manic with delirium.  
  
"Are you injured? We're going to get you to a camp, can you walk?" He asked, looming over Hana as she felt hands grabbing at her and suddenly it was all gone.  
  
As she woke Hana quickly realised that she was being carried. She struggled or tried to as her limbs felt as if they were made of metal and her fingers were stiff and numb. Two men were talking, her captors or rescuers, Hana couldn't tell and there was nothing she could do to stop them.  
  
She was so dizzy and tired but she could tell that they were moving, a bright light approaching her fast. So this was death, she told herself, she had made such a stupid mistake that she had gotten herself killed. Hana heard Lifesaver yelping in distress beside her and cursed herself that she had brought the same fate upon her closest friend.  
  
"Hey now, relax. Let's get you dried off." The male voice told her and she felt herself being set down on the ground.  
  
Her captor wasn't going to let her lie back and sleep though, and Hana felt limp and too exhausted to fight. There was light here now but everything past her hand was blurry as she forced it up to defend herself. No, it was a fire but it was so bright that she couldn't see anything.  
  
She wanted to give up even though Lifesaver was yipping for her to fight, to stay awake. She was pliant as she felt herself being pulled to her feet and steadied, a soft yet deep voice whispered into her ear as the blurred figure held her at the waist.  
  
"Hey, stay with me. I'm going to get you out of these, alright? We're going to get you dry."  
  
Couldn't they just let her sleep? She thought as she fought to keep her eyes open. And why was the other one so quiet?  
  
Hana just wanted to curl up and sleep right there, something pushed her jacket from her shoulders. She groaned as hands began to strip away her wet clothing, feeling the weight fall from her body and a gust of hot air rolled over her.  
  
Hana's brown eyes went wide, there was something behind her, something large and breathing over her shoulder. She was scared but had nothing to fight back with, feeling her arms being placed around someones shoulders and held there with a firm grip.  
"Shhhh." The voice tried to soothe her, halting its movements for a moment. "I know this is uncomfortable but I promise, I won't look at your body."  
  
Hana panted, jolting with fear as she was vaguely aware of being in an unknown place with a strange man who was undressing her. He could do anything to her and nobody would ever know, she had foolishly chosen a place far from any towns to begin her search for new creatures.  
  
"Don't..." She sobbed, hands feebly trying to push his away.  
  
Something was dragged over her skin and Hana believed that it was a knife as her consciousness faded.  
  
-  
  
Hana awoke again, lying down this time as recollection rushed to her. She felt warmer now but found that she still had no strength. She turned her wrists, expecting to find shackles or ropes but there was nothing. A warm pair of hands lifted her up, resting her head and shoulders against something soft.  
  
She was vaguely aware of being in a cave, smelling damp earth and hearing the wind outside but felt nothing. It was hard to keep her eyes open, hard to focus them on anything.  
  
"Here, this will help, I'm afraid it's the best I can do right now. Hold this cup, come on..." The man told her, he was supporting her back.  
  
He pushed something warm into her hands, it burned her icy skin but it was so comforting, her fingers curling around it weakly. Her captor lifted her chin up and guided the object to her bottom lip. It was a mug? Hana felt it tilt towards her and she decided that if this poison was warm, she would drink it anyway.  
  
The world was still spinning, she was so tired and her body was screaming at her to just curl up and sleep. The warm liquid in the cup spilled onto her tongue and tasted surprisingly pleasant. Hana had expected acid, or poison in the very least but it tasted like unsweetened tea.  
  
"Hana..." He said sternly, pulling her attention from the hot tea to the strangers burning golden eyes. He lifted the tablets to her lips between his fingers. "Swallow these, for your fever."  
  
Dry clothes, blankets and tea? Perhaps this guy wasn't going to kill her after all. Or perhaps, not yet. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and opened her mouth for him to place them on her tongue. The stranger helped her lift the cup to her lips again and gulp it down, sending the tablets cascading down her throat.  
  
"Good, very good." He smiled, letting go of the cup to pat her knee. "You'll feel better soon, I promise."  
  
The stranger sighed, holding her steady as she drained the cup and helped her lie down. What the hell was happening?  
  
-  
  
Hana came to in a hospital bed, the beeping of the machines almost perfectly reflecting the throbbing in her head. She brought her hand up to shield her eyes, wincing at the amount of energy it took. There was an IV drip in her hand.  
  
"Perfect." She groaned in frustration, beginning to cough into her hand.  
  
A nurse arrived as her coughing fit ended and the bed began to rise to bring her to a sitting position. A plastic cup was pushed into her hand and Hana gratiously began to drink it eagerly, the cool water felt amazing against her throat and she swore water had never tasted so good.  
  
"How are you feeling, Miss Mizutani?"  
  
The nurse, Jacqueline, filled her in on how she got here. 'Jackie' informed her that she had been caught in a storm and become lost in the Wild area, the former Champion had brought her here.  
  
"Champion..." Hana mused, lying back and resting her eyes.  
  
"Yes, it's a good thing he and his brother found you when they did. You had Advanced Hypothermia." The nurse told her.  
  
"Oh." She whispered.  
  
"Please, get some rest. You are safe here now, I'm going to put the bed back down again, alright?" Jackie asked softly.  
  
"Yeah... okay." Hana said quietly.  
  
"I'll fill this back up in case you start coughing again." The nurse told her, taking the cup from the table and gesturing to the blue, non-emergency call button. "Just press the button if you need anything."  
  
"Wait!" Hana said suddenly.  
  
"Yes?" Jackie turned back to her with a well practiced smile.  
  
"Can I get this thing out of my hand?" She asked the nurse hopefully.  
  
"I'm afraid not, you need to leave those in but we will be able to take it out tomorrow." Jackie shook her head.  
  
"The tube is fine..." Hana groaned, scratching weakly at her wrist.  
  
"You need both for the time being. Try not to disturb the area or we will have to leave it in longer." The nurse replied sadly. "I know it must be uncomfortable, but you are recovering well."  
  
"Mhmm." She hummed, rolling over and curling up.  
  
"Just try to rest, you'll be discharged before you know it!" Jackie said brightly as she curtain back around Hana's bed and left the room.  
  
-  
  
"Now, I'm sure you want to get straight back out there but you need to take it easy, alright?" Jackie asked her as Hana stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
She was dressed in her normal clothes again, more than ready to get out of this place. Hana had done a decent enough of job of convincing her nurse over the last two days that she was feeling well enough to leave, despite still being incredibly weak and tired.  
  
"Yes... I will." She told the nurse.  
  
Hana was led slowly out of the ward by the nurse, perking up when Jackie told her that someone was waiting for her at the entrance. Eager to see Lifesaver and head off to a hotel for some peace and quiet, Hana was greeted instead by an attractive young man who appeared to be in his early twenties. He turned to give her a wave and she vaguely recalled his image from her not too distant memory.  
  
He had long, unruly violet coloured hair that fell around his shoulders as he stepped toward her. His eyes were bright gold, framed under dark lashes and thick brows and beautifully contrasted against his olive skin. Hana's felt something twist in her mind, remembering vaguely that this was the man who had rescued her.  
  
The one she had thought was going to kill her.  
  
"Hey." He greeted her softly, his voice was pleasantly deep and accented strangely.  
  
Yes, this was the guy.  
  
"Oh, it's you." She muttered, wracking her brain for his name and faintly recalling that he had called her by hers. "Um..."  
  
"I heard you were being discharged, thought I'd come to check on you." He told her.  
  
The young man approached, stopping only a feet in front of her as another nurse rushed forward with Hana's belongings. He nodded, quietly thanking Jackie and the other woman for their hard work and telling them that he will take it from here.  
  
"Oh... thanks." Hana muttered, wringing her hands and wondering what to do next as she still just wanted to sleep.  
  
"Yeah, we couldn't reach anyone through your phone so I put my name down as contact for you." He nodded.  
  
"Thanks but... why?" She asked nervously.  
  
"Why wouldn't I? It's the least I could do." The man told her.  
  
"I... suppose. Um, I can't remember your name." Hana told him nervously.  
  
"That's alright, it's Leon." He told her softly.  
  
"Right, of course. Leon." She repeated, rolling his name over a few more times in her head. "Well thank for you for bringing me here, I guess I owe you for that."  
  
"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're alright. Now, do you have anywhere to stay? Any friends that can take care of you while you recover?" Leon asked.  
  
"My Pokemon are all... away." She muttered awkwardly.  
  
"I meant humans, but your Floatzel is currently at my place because we couldn't find his ball." He said.  
  
Hana sighed and leaned against the wall, not knowing what to do. "Yeah, I didn't have it with me... I'm not sure how he even found me to be honest."  
  
"I can explain that to you, but not here. My place isn't far though, there is a guest room that you are welcome to have for the time being." Leon offered.  
  
"Uh... what?" She asked, one eyebrow raised. "You can't possibly... you don't even know me!"  
  
"It's no trouble, really, I'm sure you want to get out of here as soon as possible. Come on, you can lean on me, is that your bag?" Leon asked softly, gesturing to it.  
  
"Yes but..." She replied as he picked it up, slinging it easily over his broad shoulders and offering his arm.  
  
"I'll call us a taxi." Leon told her, holding his arm out and waiting patiently.  
  
Hana hummed in annoyance, but if he was going to hurt her, Leon probably would have done it already.  
  
-  
  
"Can't imagine you've had anything decent to eat in there." He asked, waving down a huge black bird with a taxi cab in its claws.  
  
It was cold outside and Hana stared at it as the bird slowed its descent and set the cab on the ground. Leon walked over to speak to the birds rider quickly and waved her over. She wasn't really in any position to argue. He had already set her bag on the floor of the cab by the time she had willed her legs to move.  
  
"Where are we?" Hana asked, reaching for the door handle.  
  
"Hmm? This is Wyndon. My apartment is at the far end of town but I don't want to make you walk." Leon replied quickly as if it were obvious, beating her to the handle and opening the door for her. "You need to save your strength, you look exhausted."  
  
"Okay." She muttered, watching him with narrowed eyes as he offered his arm to help her inside.  
  
His thick hair perfectly framed his face, stubborn parts of it stuck out from beneath the cap he wore but the longer section almost reached his lower back. Leon smelled of subtle aftershave and conditioner as the wind blew a portion of it towards her.  
  
"Perhaps when you're feeling better I can show you around properly." Leon smiled as she gripped his arm for support and heaved herself inside with a groan.  
  
"Again, why?" She asked curtly, settling into the seat and leaning her head back. "Why bother with me at all?"  
  
"Well, I figure you needn't be alone here. I know you don't particularly like having people around you but..." He began.  
  
"You think you're different?" She asked with a smirk.  
  
"Perhaps not, but I was a Champion just like you, and I lost my title just like you did." Leon replied quickly, closing the door and walking around the back of the cab to get in on the other side.  
  
"So you think we have something in common?" She scoffed as he sat beside her.  
  
"We do have something in common, and I'm sure we will find a few more things during your stay here." Leon told her brightly, tapping the cab with his knuckles to let the rider know that they were settled. "Hold on." He added with a grin.  
  
"So you wan... Ah!" Hana gasped as the cab abruptly lifted off the ground.  
  
Instantly disgusted by her reaction, she dug her nails into her palm, having flown many times before and never inside anything that offered protection from the elements. Hana groaned to herself as she forcefully extracted her face from Leon's chest, cursing herself to hell and back and straightening herself up.  
  
_What the fuck is wrong with you?!_  
  
"It's alright, you're quite safe." Leon smiled, patting her shoulder. "We aren't even going that far!" He added with a chuckle, pointing to a handle she could hold onto above the open window.  
  
"Mhmm." She hummed, poorly disguising her annoyance and twisting away from him this time.  
  
Her back screamed from the sudden movement before but Hana said nothing as they reached altitude. Karmic justice, she supposed, for taking that risk a few days ago and ending up lying on her back for several days in a hospital bed.  
  
"Anyway, I think you'll feel better much sooner if you stay in a home rather than a hotel. If that is what you were about to ask." He laughed, turning to her with a bright smile.  
  
"Uh... yeah, maybe." She hummed, one leg crossed over the other as she drummed her fingers against the inside of the cab. "But how do you know that you can trust me?"  
  
"Just a feeling." Leon grinned at her. "Everyone makes mistakes, and honestly, I'm just happy to help."  
  
Leon pointed out a few things of interest as they were carried across Wyndon, Hana stared out of the open window and wondered if she should in fact toss herself out of the cab. Was this place really affecting Hana so much that running off into the wild with almost nothing seemed like a good idea?  
  
Well, the Wild Area certainly was different from the wilderness in other areas, the unforgiving terrain, strange weather patterns and powerful wild Pokemon were a welcome surprise for a little while. Hana was loathed to admit it, but she hadn't expected it to be so dangerous out there.  
  
"We're here!" A voice called happily from outside and Hana jumped and cursed herself again.  
  
The cab set down a little more carefully than it had taken off. How had she forgotten that someone was flying the bird already?  
  
"Alright, let's get you inside so you can get some proper rest." Leon told her, climbing out of his side of the taxi.  
  
He took her bag from the floor by her feet and easily hauled her up and out of the cab.  
  
"Thanks." She groaned reluctantly as she steadied herself.  
  
The entrance-way was extravagant to say the least, lined with small, neatly trimmed bushes and a high fence around it, definitely the home of an esteemed Champion. Soft lights lit up the short path from the front gate to the door. Leon stepped forward to pull a keycard out of his pocket to unlock the first line of defense and turned to Hana as he held the gate open.  
  
"Please, come in." He urged her forward, up a set of steps to the front door.  
  
-  
  
"I mean, it's no five star hotel but..." Leon began as he closed the heavy front door behind Hana.  
  
The inside of the house was incredible, certainly looking like a Champion's home, and to Hana's dismay, something that she should have owned herself.  
  
The entrance hall was small, but very bright, with a long side table and a few paintings lining the walls. There were more, small bright lights set into the high ceiling and bounced the light off the pure white walls that added to glare. Hana frowned, squinting her eyes as Leon checked the latch and paused, noting her reaction. He set his keycard and wallet on a side table and tapped at a panel on the wall.  
  
"Don't want to give you a headache." He grinned as the lights dimmed a little.  
  
"Yeah..." She replied breathily, letting her eyes adjust as she stepped further into the Champion's home.  
  
Hana followed Leon into the main living space, marveling at the large windows past the white leather sofa and dining area that looked out over the Wyndon stadium. The living room, dining area and kitchen were open-plan, the huge television screen covered the wall opposite the sofa and coffee table and was visible throughout the room.  
  
His home was incredible, almost exactly what Hana had wanted, the last time she thought about buying a house anyway. Although she wouldn't have gone with a white and gold theme herself, it seemed to suit Leon well.  
  
"This is... um." She started, staring around at the walls and the limited decor.  
  
"A little empty, I know. I haven't lived here long, it was only finished a few months ago." He told her.  
  
Leon set her bag down by the sofa, tossing his jacket over the back of it and strolling into the kitchen and opening a cupboard. The kitchen was laid out with a state of the art fridge and other appliances, Hana noted as Leon brought a cup to a panel on the fridge. He pressed a button that spat several ice cubes into it before filling it with chilled water.  
  
"Now, are you thirsty? I know I am, oh and do you want something to eat?" He asked as he turned back to her, bringing the cup to his lips for a drink.  
  
"Uh... yeah water is fine..." Hana said quietly.  
  
"Chilled? Ice? Shot of lemon? And what about something to eat? I can make you something or I can order a take-away, what do you feel like?" Leon asked with a smile.  
  
"Chilled, no ice. Could go for a pork bun actually." She said, slumping down on the couch.  
  
"Hmmm... I don't think I have any of those." Leon chuckled, opening the fridge to find very little. " Yup, look's like we're having takeout." He added cheerfully, setting his glass down on the marble counter top.  
  
Hana gazed around the room, the decor was relatively simple save for a shelf of trophies and ribbons above the window sized television.  
  
"Put something on if you'd like." Leon told her, setting a glass of water in front of her on the coffee table.  
  
"Um..." Hana hummed to herself, having no idea what sort of shows they broadcasts here in Galar.  
  
"Really, make yourself at home. I want you to be comfortable here, you can shower but I want you to eat something first." He said, sitting beside her and pulling out his phone.  
  
The tight black t-shirt he wore beneath the bomber jacket was suddenly very distracting, the fabric pulled tight across his arms and chest as Leon thumbed through the apps on his phone. It was no wonder he had been able to drag her to the hospital, she thought as her eyes took in his muscular build. Hana realised to her horror that he was still talking, leaning closer to show her the screen.  
  
"...How does this one sound? Miss Mizutani?" Leon asked her again.  
  
"Um, just Hana, please." She muttered, feeling a light blush creep over her cheeks.  
  
"Alright, first names only. You said you wanted something with pork?" He nodded.  
  
"A barbecue pork bun. If they do them." She added.  
  
"Well if they don't I'll find a place that does!" Leon smiled, scooting a little closer. "Now if any of these other dishes take your fancy, let me know alright? And don't worry about the price!" He added, laughing a little.  
  
"Yeah, I figured." She hummed, gazing off towards the trophy shelf.  
  
All of them were gold, first place in several competitions, ribbons and medals were pinned to the wall alongside the trophies with the largest gold cup in the center.  
  
"Hey! Found it, that's not really a meal but it sounds good." Leon told his companion happily, pulling her attention from the shelf back to his burly arms.  
  
"Yeah, they're really good." Hana added, she was listening, she was definitely listening to what he was saying.  
  
"Comfort food?" He asked her with a smile.  
  
"Kind of." She said quietly, twirling her hair around her finger and bringing her feet up onto the couch.  
  
"Alright, I want to try one too. Might get a few of them since you like them so much." Leon told her.  
  
"Sure." She hummed.  
  
Hana stared back at the tv, reaching out for the remote when an unfamiliar chime rang through the room, centered right beside her. She inhaled sharply through her nose and let it out, she had jumped again.  
  
"Oh, hold that thought." Leon groaned, tapping his phone and bringing it to his ear. "Hey! What's up?"  
  
Leon was silent for a moment, clearly deep in thought as he turned back to her, covering the mouth piece for a moment.  
  
"It's my best mate, do you mind? He wants to video call." Leon asked quickly.  
  
"No, not at all." Hana shrugged, leaning back to give him space.  
  
"Hey Rai! Nope, I'm not particularly busy, just got back from the hospital and I was ordering food until you interrupted!" Leon chuckled, holding his phone out from his face and giving the caller a smile.  
  
"Oh! Sorry about that, how's the princess?" The man on the other end asked.  
  
"She's right here actually, so watch your language." Leon grinned turning to look at Hana but she leaned further back.  
  
"Alright, alright, but she's alive and well? That's awesome, mate! Good thing our Champ came to the rescue huh!" The other man replied cheerfully.  
  
Hana groaned, pulling her knees up to her chest and wished that she could melt into the soft leather sofa.  
  
"Well, me and Hop. Anyway, Hana is supposed to be resting so I'll have to keep this short, mate." Leon grinned back awkwardly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we need to get coffee or lunch or something soon, I haven't seen you in ages!" The other man insisted loudly. "Oh! Can I say hi to her?" He added.  
  
"Can he say hi?" Leon turned to ask Hana.  
  
"Sure?" She replied, raising an eyebrow as Leon smiled and waved the phone over to hover in front of her. "Floating phones?!"  
  
"Hi, Miss Mizutani!" A dark skinned male waved at her from the screen.  
  
_Oh. Shit._  
  
"Hi, Hana is fine, please." She forced a smile and pinched her knee to try to suppress the blush that spread across her cheeks. It didn't work.  
  
Leon was gorgeous, that was a fact and now she had seen his best friend who was also absolutely gorgeous. Model material, really. 'Rai' had a cheeky yet dazzling smile with pointed canine teeth, a sharp jawline with flawless deep brown skin and piercing blue eyes. His black hair was styled in dreadlocks and was pulled back into a ponytail with the sides of his head shaved.  
  
"It's nice to meet you Hana, even if it's not in person. I'm Raihan, Leader of the Hammerlocke Gym Challenge, Dragon Tamer, Lee's best mate and greatest rival." Raihan grinned at the screen, dropping his hand and leaning closer to the phones camera.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Raihan." Hana said, trying to think of something else to say. "That's um... quite the achievement."  
  
_Oh fuck. Oh shit._  
  
As Raihan leaned closer, his grin dropping to a soft smile, she could see flecks of green in his eyes. Absolutely. Fucking. Stunning.  
  
"Not much compared to you and Lee!" He laughed, waving the comment away. "Anyway, I hope we can all go out some time, I need to catch up with him so maybe if you're up to it, I can see you there as well?" Raihan asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
"Yes, that sounds really nice actually." She replied, suddenly worried that she was going to draw blood.  
  
The look Raihan gave her had all but sucked the air out of her lungs and made her forget that Leon was sitting right next to her. Until he leaned into the frame.  
  
"When she's feeling better, sure, we can all meet up." Leon added smugly, leaning closer and draping his arm over the back of the couch behind Hana.  
  
"She looks fine to me." Raihan shot back, giving Hana a wink.  
  
_Oh. My. God._  
  
"Alright, well we're hungry so I'll talk to you later?" Leon rolled his eyes, grabbing his phone out of the air.  
  
"Yeah yeah, let me know what times good for you guys." Hana heard Raihan say. "Honestly, it's been weeks!"  
  
"Missed you too, mate. I'll text you in a bit. Bye!" Leon waved to his friend and ended the call.  
  
"Wow." Hana said, letting out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.  
  
"Yeah, I know right. He's an idiot but he's always there for me and he's a pretty big fan of yours, actually." Leon smiled, flicking back to the takeaway ordering screen.  
  
"Oh... He's..." She began, stopping herself suddenly.  
  
"Intense?" Leon finished her sentence with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Yes." Hana nodded quickly.  
  
"Sorry, Rai can be a pain in the ass but he's a good guy really." He frowned.  
  
"No, it's alright. I suppose now I know one of the Gym Leaders here." She shrugged, trying to collect her thoughts.  
  
Someone like him? Raihan was a fan of hers and was actually excited to meet her? Well, he said he was a Dragon tamer and thought she wasn't exclusive about them, Hana had raised several dragons over the years.  
  
"You really don't know anything about Galar?" Leon asked.  
  
"Nope, I like to be surprised and learn as I go." Hana hummed, reaching out to grab her glass of water.  
  
"That can be a good way to learn, throwing yourself in the deep end, as they call it." He told her brightly. "And now I guess, you know to be more prepared for the wilderness here."  
  
"Yeah." Hana sighed, curling into herself a little more. "I... Lifesaver!" She blurted out suddenly, her eyes wide as she remembered.  
  
"Oh yeah! He's in the yard with a few of my Pokemon. Hold on, um..." Leon said quickly, handing his phone to Hana. "Pick a main and a drink and I'll go get him for you."  
  
He darted off over to the sliding doors behind the couch, Hana set his phone down, concerned for her Pokemon that she had almost forgotten about in the stress of the day.  
  
Leon pulled the door open and called out into the darkness, cupping his mouth with his hand. How big was this yard, anyway? Hana didn't really care as she turned around, kneeling on the sofa with her hands grasping at the back.  
  
Sure enough, something orange darted past Leon as Lifesaver stood on his back legs, his small hands grabbing at her as he began yipping and licking her face. She buried her face in Lifesaver's neck, throwing her arms around him.  
  
"How are you doing? Are you okay?" She asked him quietly.  
  
"Wow, he's soaked." Leon groaned, as a slender lizard sauntered past him and down the hallway. "They must have been playing in the pond all day. I'll grab a towel." He muttered, quickly disappearing.  
  
Lifesaver squirmed out of her grasp and darted around the front of the couch, trying to climb onto Hana's lap. Thankfully, water seemed to run off his fur rather than soak into it but he was still dripping and his feet were muddy. Lifesaver looked healthy and happy, particularly happy now that master was here.  
  
"Here." Leon prompted Hana, holding out a large fluffy towel.  
  
"Sorry, he's a bit of a handful." She sighed and started to rub down her partner.  
  
"He's no trouble, he's actually been getting along with Inteleon really well." He told her, stepping back to give them some space.  
  
"Your what?" Hana asked casually.  
  
"Another water type... anyway, I don't want to bombard you with too many things. Let's just get him dry, eat some food and get you to bed, alright?" Leon said softly, picking up his abandoned phone.  
  
"Sure... yeah." Hana told him, checking out again.  
  
"We'll talk about it tomorrow. You didn't..." Leon sighed, looking at his phone. "Chow mein then?  
  
"Sure." She nodded, taking each of Lifesaver's paws and wiping them clean.  
  
"Alright. It'll be here in twenty minutes." He told her. "Here, I'll put this in the wash." He added, reaching for the towel.  
  
Hana sat perched on the edge of the couch whispering to Lifesaver as he curled up in her lap and rested his head on her shoulder. She smiled, wrapping her arms around him as he settled, he was much too big for this sort of thing.  
  
"Yeah, I know buddy." She cooed, stroking her fingers through his short fur.  
  
Leon hadn't been disturbed at all by the mess Lifesaver had left on the floor and Hana made a mental not to get up and clean it when she noticed a small round object sweep across the floor behind the couch. The water and mud was being cleared away slowly as it moved in circular motions and she watched it eagerly as it worked.  
  
The man of the house returned eventually, his cheeks flushed from apparent exertion as he sighed and took his glass of water from the coffee table to re-fill it at the fridge.  
  
"That's neat." Hana commented quietly, nodding her head.  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, it doesn't make beds or anything but it sure helps keep the floors clean." Leon chuckled.  
  
"You don't have guests very often?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Not really." He replied, draining the glass and letting out a sigh. "My little brother still lives at home and I'm not even here half the time."  
  
"Oh." She muttered.  
  
"It's fine, nice actually. The guest room is set up and there are towels in the en-suite for you to use." Leon nodded, turning to fill his glass again.  
  
"Oh! Um, thank you." Hana said quietly.  
  
"Not a problem." He smiled. "Anyway, I'll head outside and grab the food. It's almost here."  
  
-  
  
With her belly full and her body betraying her with long yawns, Hana was shown to the guest room. Leon pointed out the fluffy rug for Lifesaver to sleep on, power points and switches around the room to adjust the light, temperature etc.  
  
"Sleep well, alright? If you need anything, I'm just across the hall." He told her, placing his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I think I'll survive." Hana smiled back, giving him a nod as she shrugged him off and reached for the door handle. "Good night, Leon."  
  
Dinner had been great, and Leon was much easier to deal with when he had his mouth full but this was a bit too much for one day.  
  
The bed was incredibly plush, with a padded headboard and as many pillows as a hotel would use. The sheets were clean, bust messily laid out and she stifled a laugh at the untidy tucks at the corners. Hana was too tired to care, and certainly didn't expect any sort of luxury treatment. Her host couldn't have been older than twenty three and if his formative years had been anything like hers, he wouldn't have learned anything about housekeeping.  
  
Hana herself hadn't even had time to learn how to make food that wasn't roasted over a fire or cooked in a microwave due to her travels and she hadn't stayed anywhere long enough to buy a house.  
  
No, she knew who he was, Hana remembered the gossip around town when Leon became Champion here in Galar. He took her record for youngest trainer ever to become a Champion though she pretended not to care at the time. She had refused to pay any attention to the newspapers or online articles and was even happy for the attention to be directed elsewhere for a while.  
  
Of course, if she could do it, someone else could do it better, faster etc but she never expected to meet that person, let alone be welcome in his house.  
  
And such a nice house too, Hana thought, stripping off her long sleeved shirt and jeans to climb into the bed. It wasn't just the house, Leon himself was kind, helpful and surprisingly humble.  
  
She told herself that she would hold him to that standard as she pressed her face into the soft pillows. Hana knew all too well how people could change once you got to know them and vowed to leave at the first sign of danger.  
  
Although it would be difficult for her to leave right at this particular moment, as she let herself relax into the sheets and pulled up the comforter. Hana let out a sigh as Lifesaver climbed up with her, curling up at the foot of the bed. Just a few days, she whispered to him as she settled into the darkness.  



End file.
